The present invention relates to a digitally driven power amplifier system.
In the art relating to acoustic signals, it is frequently important to provide a power output signal which faithfully relates to and amplifies the characteristics of a predetermined input signal. This is a particularly keen requirement of systems involving underwater sound. Heretofore, signals having a particular characteristic such as frequency and/or wave shape have been generated and then amplified by means of analog amplification systems. Analog amplification systems for power amplification are frequently subject to discrepancies due to such problems as amplitude drift, linearity, or temperature effects. Overcoming such effects in analog circuits are complex, costly, and sometimes difficult to implement.
The present invention is an improvement over that of the prior application of Jay W. Atherton for Digital Driver For Fixed Power Amplifier, filed 1-3-86, Ser. No. 815,953.